Amusement apparatus.



D.. l GLEGHORN. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED :um: 29, 1909.

'DOUGLAS E. CL'EGHORN, OF KLAN, CALEGRNA AlJUSEMENT APERATU.

essaies.

Speccatiea of Letters Patent.

Patented llilara 29, i931@ Application flied June 29, 1909, Serial No. 515,973.

To all whom may concern,.-

Be it known that l, DOUGLAS ll. CenenonN, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State ot California, have invented new -and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for aniusenient purposes ot that class in which a car or equivalent device is caused to travel by gravitation over roadway.

It consists in the combination ot nicchanisni, and in details of` construction which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view oi' the car in partial section, at right angles with Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is la transverse section showing the chair in end elevation. Fie. 3 illustrates one forni of track arrai'lgenient. Fig. ii is a plan of a switch.

It is the object of my invention to provide certain improvements in that class of apparatus, in which a traveling car or carriage is adapted to inove hy gravity over a prepared roadway; to provide means for the absolute safety of the apparatus; nieans by which changes of direction may De eitected, and means for supporting,` the seat within the revoluble traveling portion without direct attachment thereto.

The roadway A may he niade in any snitable or desired niann'er, preferably being sinuous, rising and falling; and it niay have ornamental towers or stations at points in its course.

The tower at the starting point may be provided with elevating` means by which the traveling apparatus can be raised to the highest point and placed upon the track. The track is especially designed to run a certain course, and it is raised at the end oli this course by a gradual incline so that the traveling apparatus will come to a stop, then return by gravityto a point where it encounters an automatic switch El. ihis switch throws it upon another line traclr which may return directly, or in a roundabout. way to any desired point, where it again encounters an incline which gradually brings it to a stop; thence .returning down this. incline it is again, hynieanslot another automatic switch 2, diverted into another gravity line. and so on until it reaches the a suitably prepared lowest point., where it is preferably returned to a point near the elevator, so that it can be again raised and ready to start on the The car is made ot cylindrical hoops or rings e, with annular flanged rings 5. These are connected by horizontal hars 6 leaving opennvork spaces between. in the .center is an annular flange 7 et considerable Width projecting beyond the periphery of the barrel. The flanged end rings to travel upon the tracks A, and the flanges are of such depth as to practically retain the drinn thus formed in position.

8 are parallel timbers tixed so as to have a central space between them, and the annular flange 7 projects into this space, which thus serves as a guideway to prevent undue end motion of the drum in turning corners or changing; direction, and to maintain it safely upon-the tracks. These timbers 8 are s0 constructed at the points Where the automatic switches are placed, that the flange will be allowed to travel between similar guide timbers when alnew direction is tiilrcn; thus always maintaining it in' proper position.

In order'to provide seats for passengers,

l have .shown a lightstructure 100i suchv length to extend across the diameter of the drinn or barrel. and this is provided with wheels ll which lit and travel upon the inn side otthe annular rings 5. The seats 12, et' any suitable construction, are carried upon the structure l0. There is no connection between the seats, or the seat structure, and there is 'no axis or shaft in said drum, thus leaving a free space without obstruction to the passengers. The wheels ll Vpreiterably run as high as possible on the interior of the drum, and are so guided as to prevent any danger ot their leaving the drum.

The structure l0 inay be in the form of a,

lattice or operi-work fence or rail upon each side ot the seat', which will prevent passen-- out; at the sarne time gers 'from ialh suction to the View from there i l he no ob the open e s et iedrnni.

l. f -1 n v wt: 1 h aan `s Lesern .i my inven ion, .v a

desire to secure hy claim and Letters katent is il. The coinh l ffion in a gravity railway, of a ot" declining tracks, with automatic switches, a drinn having the, flanged rims adapted to travei'upon the tracks, `guide rollers `centrally disposed between the ,5 are adapted ies' tracks, and an annular flange fixed to the drum adapted to travel between said guidesn 2. In a gravity railway, a Series of inclined return tracks, and corresponding eentrally located guideways, said tracks having` upward benda at the termination et each, and automatically Operating Switches at their junction, a device adapted to travel en said tracks7 Said device eonsifsting.;- ot an open lattice-Work drum having annular flanged rims at; the ends fitting the tracks,`

andan. annnlar centrally located tlange titting` between the intermediate guides, a ear fitting within the drinn, Said 'ear having` Wheels adapted to travel upon the inner periphery of the drinn langea, and Seats ear ried by the ear.

In a gravity apparatus, an open clrnm composed of circular and longitudinal bars, annular iiangetl rings at the ends and a central annular Mange adapted to travel npen the traelrs, and between intermediate guides, s` ear structure having` lattice-work sidesl wheels adapted to travel on the interior o't' the flanges et 'the (lrnn'l, and Seats loealetl centrally within the ear.

In t'estin'iony where-ot l have hereunto set; my hantl in the prenenee of tiro snhseribing witnesses.

DOUGLS Witnesses lVlLLrAM J. lrifle-noma, lionn S. l \lLmn:.

CLEGI lORN. 

